Aịzaya 37
1 Mgbe eze Hezekaya nụrụ nke a, ọ dọwara uwe ya, yikwasị akwa mkpe, baa nʼime ụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough sackcloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went into the temple of Yahweh [and prayed].
2 O zipụrụ Eliakịm, onye nlekọta ụlọeze, Shebna ode akwụkwọ na ndị okenye nʼetiti ndị nchụaja, bụ ndị yikwa akwa mkpe, ka ha jekwuru Aịzaya onye amụma, nwa Emọz.
Then he sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, to talk to me.
3 Ha sịrị ya, “Otu a ka Hezekaya sịrị, Ụbọchị taa bụ ụbọchị ahụhụ, ịba mba na nke ihe ihere. Ụbọchị jọgburu onwe ya dịka ụbọchị nwanyị nọ nʼoke ihe mgbu nke ịmụ nwa ma ike adịkwaghị o ji amụpụta nwa ya.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that this is a day when we are greatly distressed. Other nations are causing us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Ma eleghị anya Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị, ga-anụ okwu ahụ nke Rabashaka, bụ ọchịagha, onye nna ya ukwu bụ eze Asịrịa, zitere ịkwa Chineke dị ndụ emo. Eleghị anya Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị ga-abara ya mba nʼihi okwu ndị a niile o kwuru, bụ ndị ọ nụrụ. Ya mere, kpeere anyị ekpere, anyị bụ ndị fọdụrụ ndụ.”
[But] perhaps Yahweh our God has heard what the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss, the King of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will punish the King of Assyria for what he said. And the king requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].’”
5 Mgbe ndị ọrụ eze Hezekaya bịakwutere Aịzaya,
After those men gave me that message,
6 ọ sịrị ha, “Otu a ka unu ga-asị nna unu ukwu, ‘Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru: Atụla egwu nʼihi okwu niile nke ị nụrụ, bụ nke ndị na-ejere eze Asịrịa ozi ji kwuluo m.
I replied, “Tell the King, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “Those messengers from the King of Assyria have said evil things about me. But do not be disturbed by what they said.
7 Gee ntị, mgbe ọ nụrụ akụkọ dị aṅaa, aga m eme ka ọ chọọ ịlaghachi nʼobodo nke aka ya. Nʼebe ahụ ka m ga-emekwa ka e jiri mma agha gbuo ya.’”
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor [that the armies of Babylon are about to attack his country], and that will worry him. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.”’”
8 Mgbe ọchịagha ahụ nụrụ na eze Asịrịa e sitela nʼobodo Lakish pụa, ọ laghachiri hụ na eze Asịrịa na-ebuso obodo Libna agha.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had captured Lachish [city] and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official left Jerusalem and went to Libnah [to report to the king what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Nʼoge ahụ, Senakerib natara ozi na Tiahaka, eze Kush, na-apụta ịbịa ibuso ya agha. Mgbe ọ nụrụ nke a, o zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha ga zie Hezekaya ozi, sị,
Soon after that, King [Sennacherib] received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [with his army to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with a letter. [In the letter he wrote this] to Hezekiah:
10 “Gwanụ Hezekaya, eze Juda: Ekwela ka Chineke onye ị na-atụkwasị obi duhie gị, mgbe ọ na-asị, ‘Agaghị enyefe Jerusalem nʼaka eze Asịrịa.’
“Do not allow your god, on whom you are relying, to deceive you by promising you that Jerusalem will not be captured by my army.
11 Nʼezie a, ị nụla ihe ndị eze Asịrịa mere obodo niile ha busoro agha, otu ha si bibie ha kpamkpam. Ma a ga-anapụtakwa gị onwe gị?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries; our armies have destroyed them completely. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Chi niile nke mba niile, ndị ahụ nna nna m ha lara nʼiyi, ha napụtara ha, bụ chi ndị Gozan, Haran, Rezef na nke ndị Eden ndị nọ na Tel Asa?
Did the gods of the nations that were about to be destroyed by the armies of the previous kings of Assyria rescue them? Did those gods rescue Gozan [region], and Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria], and the people of Eden [region] who were forced to go to Tel-Assar [city]?
13 Olee ebe eze ndị Hamat maọbụ eze ndị Apad nọ? Olee ebe eze obodo Lair, Sefavaim, Hena na Iva nọkwa?”
What happened to the King of Hamath and the King of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah [cities]? [Did their gods rescue them] [RHQ]?”
14 Mgbe Hezekaya natara akwụkwọ ozi a site nʼaka ndị ozi ahụ, gụọ ya, o weere ya gaa nʼime ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, gbasaa ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.
Hezekiah received the letter that the messengers gave him, and he read it. Then he went up to the temple and spread out the letter in front of Yahweh.
15 Hezekaya kpere ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, sị:
And [then] Hezekiah prayed this:
16 “O, Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, Chineke nke Izrel, onye ocheeze ya dị nʼetiti ndị cherubim, naanị gị bụ Chineke na-achị alaeze niile nke ụwa. Ọ bụkwa naanị gị kere eluigwe na ụwa.
“O Yahweh, Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the statues of the creatures with wings, [above the Sacred Chest]. Only you are [truly] God. You rule all the kingdoms on this earth. You are the one who created everything on the earth and in the sky.
17 Tọọ ntị gị nʼala, o Onyenwe anyị ma nụrụ; meghee anya gị abụọ Onyenwe anyị, ka ịhụ; gee ntị nụkwa okwu niile ndị ahụ Senakerib zitere, nke o ji ekwulu Chineke dị ndụ.
[So], Yahweh, [please] listen to what I am saying, and look at [what is happening]! And listen to what Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God!
18 “Nʼeziokwu, Onyenwe anyị, ndị eze Asịrịa alala ndị a niile na ala ha nʼiyi, mee ka ha tọgbọrọ nʼefu,
Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and ruined their land.
19 ha atụnyekwala chi ha niile nʼime ọkụ, repịakwa ha, nʼihi na ọ bụghị chi ka ha bụ, kama ha bụ naanị ihe a kpụrụ akpụ, nke mmadụ ji osisi na nkume pịa.
And they have thrown all the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But they were not [really] gods. They were only idols made of wood and stone, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
20 Ma ugbu a, Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị, biko, zọpụta anyị site nʼaka ya, ka alaeze niile nke ụwa mata na naanị gị Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke, na ọ dịkwaghị chi ọzọ ma ọ bụghị gị.”
So now, Yahweh our God, [please] rescue us from the power [MTY] of [the King of Assyria], in order that [the people in] all the kingdoms of the world will know that you, Yahweh, are the only one who is [truly] God.”
21 Mgbe ahụ, Aịzaya nwa Emọz, zigaara Hezekaya ozi, sị, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel, sịrị, Nʼihi ekpere gị niile nye m banyere Senakerib, eze Asịrịa,
Then I sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, says: Because you prayed about what King Sennacherib of Assyria [said],
22 nke a bụ okwu Onyenwe anyị kwuru megide ya. “Nwaagbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke, bụ ada Zayọn, na-elelị gị anya, jirikwa gị na-eme ihe ọchị, Nwaada Jerusalem na-efufekwa isi ya mgbe ị na-agbapụ ọsọ.
this is what I say to him: ‘The people of Jerusalem despise you and make fun of you. They will wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
23 Onye ka ị kparịrị ma kwulukwaa? Ọ bụ onye ka i sitere na nganga gị welie olu okwu gị na anya gị elu megide? Ọ bụ megide onye Nsọ nke Izrel?
Whom do you think you have been despising and ridiculing? Whom do you think you were shouting at? Whom do you think you were looking at [very] proudly/arrogantly? [It was I], the Holy One whom the Israelis worship!
24 I sitere nʼaka ndị ozi gị kparịa Onyenwe anyị, kwuluo ya, ị sịkwara, ‘Eji m ọtụtụ ụgbọala m rigoruo ebe dị elu nke nʼelu ugwu niile, nʼebe kachasị elu nke ugwu Lebanọn. Egbudasịala m osisi sida ya niile toro ogologo, na osisi junipa ya niile kachasị mma. Ejeruola m na nsọtụ ya kachasị nʼịdị elu, bụ ebe kachasị maa mma nʼoke ọhịa ya niile.
The messengers whom you sent made fun of me. You said, “With my many chariots I have gone to the highest mountains, [even] to the highest mountains in Lebanon. We have cut down its tallest cedar [trees] and its nicest pine/cypress [trees]. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its densest forests.
25 Egwuola m ọtụtụ olulu mmiri nʼala ndị mba ọzọ, ṅụkwa mmiri dị nʼebe ahụ. Ọ bụ ọbụ ụkwụ m ka m ji mee ka isi iyi niile dị nʼIjipt takpọọ.’
We have dug wells [in many countries] and drunk water [from them]. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”
26 “Ọ bụ na ị nụbeghị? Na mgbe ochie ka m kpebiri ya. Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ gara aga ka nọ pịa ọpịpịa ya, ugbu a, emeela m ka ọ bịa na mmezu, na ị meela ka obodo nke mgbidi gbara gburugburu, ghọọ mkpokọta nkume.
[But I, Yahweh, reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [those things]; I planned them long ago, and now I have been causing those things to occur. I planned that your army would destroy cities and cause them to become piles of rubble.
27 Ndị bi nʼime ha, ndị a napụrụ ike ha nwere, bụ ndị dara mba, ndị e tinyekwara nʼọnọdụ ihere. Ha dịka ahịhịa ndụ puru nʼala ubi, na ome na-epupụta epupụta, nakwa ahịhịa na-etopụta nʼelu ụlọ nke anwụ na-achakpọ tupu o tolite.
The people in those cities have no power, and as a result they are dismayed and discouraged. They are [as frail as] [MET] grass and plants in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
28 “Ma amaara m ebe ị nọ ọnọdụ, marakwa ọpụpụ gị na mbata gị, marakwa oke iwe gị megide m.
[But] I know [everything about you]; I know when you are [in your house and] when you go outside; I also know that you are (raging/speaking very angrily) against me.
29 Nʼihi ọnụma dị gị nʼobi megide m, nʼihi na mkparị gị eruola m ntị, aga m etinye nko m nʼimi gị, werekwa mkpụmkpụ igwe m kpachie egbugbere ọnụ gị, mee ka ị laghachi site nʼụzọ ahụ nke i siri bịa.
[So], because you have raged against me and because I have heard you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and I will put an iron (bit/metal bar) in your mouth [in order that I can lead you where I want you to go], and I will force you to return [to your own country], on the same road on which you came [here, without conquering Jerusalem].”’
30 “Ma nke a ga-abụ ihe ịrịbama nye gị, Hezekaya. “Nʼafọ a, unu ga-eri ihe na-epu nʼonwe ya, nʼafọ nke abụọ unu ga-eri ihe si na nke ahụ pupụta. Ma nʼafọ nke atọ ghaanụ mkpụrụ ubi, weenụ ihe ubi, kụọ vaịnị nʼubi vaịnị, riekwanụ mkpụrụ ha.
[Then I said to Hezekiah], ‘This will prove to you [that what I said will happen]: “This year, you(pl) will eat [only the crops] that grow by themselves, and next year the same thing will happen. But in the third year you will plant [crops] and harvest them; you will take care of your vineyards and eat the grapes.
31 Ọzọkwa, ndị fọdụrụ nʼalaeze Juda ga-agba mgbọrọgwụ nʼokpuru ala, mịkwaa mkpụrụ nʼelu.
And [you] people who are still [here] in Judah, will be strong and prosper again [MET].
32 Nʼihi na ọ bụ site na Jerusalem ka ndị fọdụrụ ga-esi pụta, otu ndị fọdụrụ ndụ ga-esitekwa nʼugwu Zayọn pụta. Ọ bụ site nʼịnụ ọkụ nʼobi nke Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, ga-emezu nke a.
A small number of my people will survive, and they will spread out from Jerusalem [DOU].” That will happen because [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, am desiring very much to accomplish it.’
33 “Ya mere, nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru banyere eze Asịrịa. “Ọ gaghị azọbata ụkwụ ya nʼime obodo a maọbụ gbaa ọ bụladị otu àkụ nʼebe a. Ọ gaghị eji ọta jegharịa nʼọnụ ụzọ ama ya, maọbụ wuo mgbidi nnọchibido megide ya.
And this is what [I], Yahweh, say about the King of Assyria: ‘His [armies] will not enter Jerusalem; they will not [even] shoot arrows into it. His soldiers will not [march outside] the city gates holding their shields, and they will not build high mounds of dirt against the walls of the city [to enable them to attack the city].
34 Ụzọ o si bịa ka ọ ga-esi laghachi; ọ gaghị abanye nʼobodo a.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya.
And their king will return [to his own country] on the same road on which he came [here]. He will not enter this city!’ [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!
35 “Aga m echebe obodo a, zọpụtakwa ya nʼihi aha m, na nʼihi Devid, bụ ohu m.”
For the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised King David, who served me [well], I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed.”
36 Mmụọ ozi Onyenwe anyị pụrụ gaa tigbuo otu puku narị na puku iri asatọ na ise nʼụlọ ikwu ndị Asịrịa. Mgbe ndị mmadụ tetara nʼisi ụtụtụ, lee, ozu ka ha jupụtara ebe niile.
[That night], an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had set up their tents and killed 185,000 of their soldiers. When [the rest of the soldiers] woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere.
37 Ya mere, Senakerib, eze Asịrịa, biliri ije, laghachi nʼala ya. Ọ laghachiri biri nʼobodo Ninive.
Then King Sennacherib left and returned home to Nineveh [in Assyria], and stayed there.
38 Otu ụbọchị, mgbe ọ nọ na-akpọ isiala nʼụlọ chi ya a na-akpọ Nisrọk, ụmụ ya ndị ikom aha ha bụ Adramelek na Shareza were mma agha gbuo ya. Ha gbapụrụ ọsọ gbaga nʼala Ararat. Isahadon, bụ nwa ya nwoke ghọrọ eze nʼọnọdụ ya.
[One day], when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. Then they escaped and went to the Ararat [region northwest of Nineveh]. And another of Sennacherib’s sons, Esarhaddon, became the King of Assyria.
